Visitors at a small English zoo witnessed a harrowing scene on Thursday after a man allegedly hurled a 3-year-old boy into a crocodile enclosure. Cambridgeshire Police were called to Johnsons Zoo in Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, just after 1:20pm local time, the BBC reports. The child, who suffered serious injuries, was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital and is now in critical but stable condition, authorities said. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Detectives say they do not believe he knew the child.
- "We are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident to understand more about the circumstances," said Det. Insp. Verity McCann, adding that officers are supporting the boy's family.
It's not clear whether the boy was attacked by crocodiles, the Guardian reports. Area resident Mike Annicelli tells the Telegraph that the crocodiles, kept in a converted cattle barn, are about 15 feet below walkways that are protected by 4-foot-high railings.
- Zoo visitor Pete Lewis tells the Telegraph that workers may have saved the boy's life. It "appeared that staff or members of the public had gone into the enclosure to rescue the boy and almost certainly prevented further injury," he says. Lewis says he was in the zoo's tea room when somebody came in calling for help. "Next thing we knew, staff were coming from all directions and a truck or a buggy was rushing around, and then a guy carried the poor lad out and put him on a trailer to administer first aid."
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